Crash & Collision Causes Revealed

21 April 2016 - By Eugene Herbert

Most drivers are aware
of the need to use indicators (turn signals) and probably agree that they know
the reason why these are installed in motor vehicles- Yes, No?

Sadly, while most use
them, very few do so in the correct sequence as defined by the “system of
car control” as advocated by proponents of defensive driver training. The
necessity of their use is highlighted by a recent survey in the UAE which
showed that a major cause of car crashes can be attributed to poor use of
indicators.

This has been revealed
in a survey of drivers in the UAE by YouGuv, carried out on behalf of Qatar
Insurance Company and RoadSafetyUAE.

The survey of over
1,000 UAE drivers showed that:

-
Only 15% of motorists are seen using indicators when driving. However,

-
67% of those responding to the survey said that they use their indicators most
of the time. Meanwhile,

-
90% of drivers responding to the survey said they believe that using indicators
helps to improve road safety.

The survey also
mentioned that 78% of drivers aged 40 and older use indicators while only 56%
of drivers younger than 40 do so. According to the data from the UAE’s Ministry
of Interior's statistics, 21% of road crash fatalities in the UAE are caused by
swerving from a traffic lane. And failure to use indicators properly is a key
factor in crashes arising from lane departure.

In the light of these
statistics (sadly none of which are available in South Africa) we can be well
advised to ensure that we make it a practice.

Till next time – Drive
in a manner that communicates your intentions to other road users by using your
indicator.